Reviews

i am in disbelief.

seriously bro, i am shocked. this BL was at least an eight and a half until great got shot. no, like, what actually happened?

what was the purpose of colliding the seemingly differing universes? why did great's four minute ability stop after him and his mother were shot? did that great even recover? the whole story was nearly impossible to track after they were shot. the former is considering that both timelines shared several of the same happenings. anyway, the converging of the different timelines where great was actually respectable to him being a coward accomplice made no sense at all ! why was that even a decision made? why was it made to seem like tyme then developed the ability? how does that even make sense? hello? in the end, great and lukwa never even sat down to converse about their abilities in front of the audience. apparently some figure [the person in the gallery] can grant this power to people so how did tyme "get" it? why was the story not switched back to the more favorable sequence with great not being an absolute POS?

be on cloud / sammon straight up ruined what could have been a masterpiece. the acting was good. the intimacy was wild and good [there was even full nudity]. the opening and closing credits were memorable and good. they even played another rendition of that unforgettable song from kinnporsche. then they ruined the whole story with this convoluted mess. how can a convergence seem like a disjointing? i stopped feeling connected to the story as soon as great number one got shot and great number two was made the focal.

i must have missed something because this was just a mess and a waste of time to watch.

Lire la suite

Joya infravalorada (?)

Los últimos 3 episodios me hicieron llorar como magdalena, sí, sé lo que vi.
Yo quería a Yin Qing, yo quería creerle, sufrí por su traición, desde que vió la marca en la espalda de Meng Tinghui supuse que era Shangguang, pero aún así quise estar ciega, quise pensar que no era tan malo, le creí como una tonta... pero por su culpa murió A-Nian, y eso nunca se lo voy a perdonar, ojalá se pudra en el infierno.

Quitando eso, amo a Meng Tinghui, amo todo de ella. Ojalá pudiera tener su entereza y su resiliencia.
Al principio solo era una ladrona, una joven con sueños, pero parecía que dependía demasiado de su suerte, se tiraba demasiado sin pensar realmente en consecuencias, pero al empezar una relación con el He Du (relación de súbdita) y al sentir que Fuzhi también estaba en peligro, creo que se desarrolló muy rápido, comenzó a pensar en los demás y no tanto en la justicia impersonal.

Quiero dedicar un momento para hablar de Yan Fuzhi: la amo.
No solo es un personaje determinado, que sabe quién es y qué quiere en la vida, que aunque aceptó el amor, aún así no cambió su forma de ser por ella, siguió aferrada a sus sueños y también siguió defendiendo a su Mengmeng. Tal vez haya ejemplos de otras amigas muy unidas, pero pocas como ella, que creía en ella de forma incondicional, “sí Mengmeng lo hizo tenía razón, y aunque no tenga razón yo le creo". No es una confianza estúpida, no es inocente ni siquiera, es amor puro.
Su relación con Shen Zhishu creo que igualmente fué muy orgánica. Desde el principio hubo el click de la atracción física, y creo que eso también es importante, ambos eran ese tipo de persona que apreciaba la belleza, aunque no fuera realmente lo más importante, pero también le da más peso a la cicatriz, porque aunque fué algo que se resolvió relativamente rápido, para Zhishu fué algo importante, fué la confirmación de que no era visto como una cara bonita sino como un hombre completo.
Que bueno, ese capítulo fué hermoso y me hizo llorar a mares cuando dijeron que se murió, todos estábamos destrozados. El papá arrepentido de nunca decirle lo orgulloso que estaba de él, Zhili sin saber ni qué hacer, Ying Gua sin saber cómo empezar a llorar por otro hermano (y bueno, él si es su familia)... y cuando regresó todos volvimos a respirar. Zhishu avergonzado por su cicatriz y por tardar tanto en regresar, y todos simplemente felices de verlo vivo.
Te amamos Zhishu.
Yo siempre supe que su forma de ser relajada era casi una fachada para pasar desapercibido ayudando a su primo, siempre fué muy competente y siempre se tomó en serio las misiones que tenía, y lo que le decía su papá.
De la familia Shen podría hablar horas... Incluido A-Nian, mi pobre bebé.
Él no esperaba nada, estaba bien siempre que Zhili fuera feliz, le propuso casarse para ayudar a la familia que lo acogió. Ahora sí que no migajero porque claro que quería su amor, pero si ella le ofrecía únicamente su cariño familiar y no se enamoraba de él, estaba bien... pero creo que siempre pensó que ella sí lo quería, por eso se atrevió, aunque ella no pudo decirle con palabras porque estaba encandilada con el Canciller Derecho (que yo siempre lo odié jaja, ni sabía que era tan malo, pero trataba mal a la esposa y andaba enamorando una muchachita, maldito groomer asqueroso, infiel, etcétera).
Al final no se quedó sola, porque tiene su bebé y su familia, pero igual no merecía ser viuda.

*Seguiré editando xD

Lire la suite

Riveting action, comedy medical drama and I love that ML is in his 40s!

It was Friday evening and instead of the usual Chinese vertical dramas, I decided to watch Korean long-form dramas. I selected this one because I was curious to watch Ju Ji Hoon dramas in full (I don't recall if I have finished Light Shop). I was extremely delighted with my choice because this drama was simply awesome.

What I liked:
1. Acting - Spectacular performance by the cast. Ju Ji Hoon was simply cool playing a doctor with an ambiguous past. Darn, oppa was fit and his action scenes were riveting! I was impressed by Choo Young Woo's performance as I had never heard of him before watching this drama. Ha Young , Yoon Kyung Ho and Kim Won Hae were amazing in their roles too. I was happy to see the latter two in meaty roles.
2. ML characterisation - One thing that stands out about the ML is the way he's written. I really liked that this drama was not too focused on him as an individual but as him as representative of many great doctors doing extraordinary work. His constant reminders of "it's teamwork, it's not about me" were refreshing. I also liked that his past was not fully fleshed out leaving ML "mystery guy" tag right until the end of the series.
3. Supporting characters - Dr Yang Jae Won's arc is my favourite. In addition to being the heart of the team, I liked that his character was uncertain of his "ikigai" and we watch his potential being unveiled slowly throughout the series. I was also surprised by Dr Han Yu Rim's arc as I expected him to remain as a goon to his superiors until the final episode. Cheon Jang Mi was entertaining to watch - she was secure, non-sensical and courageous person.
4. Action - Wow, wow, wow action scenes were thrilling. Most did not make sense but heck, this is fiction. Dr Baek was like a hero that possess both brains and brawn.
5. Comedy - My mum was surprised that I laughed constantly while watching the drama.
6. Styling - I really liked the wardrobe chosen for the three leads. It amused me when I saw them wearing crocs for work - are they really comfortable for big amount of running & standing? Those suits worn at the launch of helipad were adorable hahaha.
7. Storytelling - The transition from one episode to the next was refreshing because I expected each episode to focus on trauma case with final two episodes focusing on personal struggles. There was a good balance of major (trauma case) and minor (personal story) arcs with surprising twists in the final 2 episodes.

What I disliked:
1. Antagonists - I dislike people who prioritise profits over people's welfare. Chief Hong was obnoxious and asshat. I also didn't like Director Choi Jo Eun but that final twist changed my mind.
2. Ending - I need season 2, please!

Favourite scene
When Dr Yang went to see Dr Baek after his operation

Lire la suite

A Little Bit of Magic Called VinYue ?❤️

**Some shows you watch. Some shows you feel. *When Light Fades* is the kind you carry with you long after the screen goes dark.**

There is something so quietly beautiful about this series. The story, the atmosphere, the cinematography, the music—all of it comes together to create this melancholic, almost dreamlike experience that completely consumed me.

But at the heart of it all are **Vin and Yue**. Their relationship never felt rushed or manufactured. It was built through little moments, lingering looks, vulnerability and an understanding that slowly deepened until they simply became each other's person. **Bas and Lhongchang were phenomenal together.** Their chemistry felt effortless, and they made every emotional beat feel genuine.

What really stayed with me was how human the characters felt. They weren't perfect, they were simply trying to find love, hope and a little happiness in circumstances that gave them very little of either.

And that ending… 🥹 It was happy, but somehow still left me with this beautiful ache. The kind where you're relieved for them but already mourning the fact that you won't get to watch their story unfold anymore.

**Poetic, heartbreaking, tender and unforgettable.**

I came for the story and stayed for Vin and Yue. I finished it loving both.

**10/10. No hesitation. ❤️**

#WhenLightFades #WLF #VinYue #BasLlongchang #10of10 #MustWatch

Lire la suite

Why SOTUS Still Holds a Special Place in My Heart

Coming back to rewatch SOTUS after taking a whole year away from social media and the BL world brings back so many memories. This was actually the second BL I ever watched—right at the start of COVID.

At first, you might want to pull your hair out over Arthit's strict, over-the-top hazing rules and intimidating facade. But peeling back those layers to reveal a soft-hearted, sweet senior who genuinely cares about his juniors (and has a secret obsession with pink milk!) makes his character arc so rewarding.

Absolute perfection as a freshman lead. Pob is bold, incredibly smart, unapologetically vocal about his feelings, and completely unafraid to challenge the broken system—and Arthit's walls—head-on. His confidence never crossed into arrogance, which made him so easy to root for.

The "enemies-to-lovers via university hazing" trope is executed brilliantly here. What makes their dynamic work so well is the emotional push-and-pull. Kongpob slowly chipping away at Arthit’s defenses doesn't feel rushed; it builds through shared responsibilities, secret vulnerabilities, and gradual trust. When Arthit finally drops his guard and lets Kongpob in, the emotional payoff is massive.

For the supporting roles, while some of the hazing traditions look intense and archaic by today's standards, the camaraderie among the engineering freshman group adds so much heart to the show. Watching the tight-knit bond form between the students as they survive the brutal training together grounds the story in a very realistic, nostalgic university setting.

And let's not forget, Off. I met Off here for the first time, which is the start of my fandom and I get to watch their series with Gun which is my third BL.

Overall, SOTUS isn't just about romance; it's a slow-burn journey about mutual respect, breaking down preconceptions, and finding comfort in unexpected places. It will always have a nostalgic, golden-standard spot for me!

Lire la suite

Beyond the Crime: Pain, Trauma & Justice

This series is proving to be so much more than just a crime thriller. What makes it so powerful is the way it explores pain, suffering, past trauma, responsibility, and the uncertainty of what comes next. Kay and Phat are not only trying to uncover the truth behind the murders, they are also carrying the emotional weight of everything they have been through. Their past trauma continues to affect their choices, their trust, and the way they see the people around them.

I also love how the story gives a voice to innocent people who have been failed or silenced by a corrupt system. The deeper they go, the more it feels like justice is not simply about finding a culprit. It is about facing a system where powerful people can hide the truth and where the innocent are left to suffer. That constant uncertainty makes every episode more intense because you never really know who to trust or what painful truth might come out next.

And the acting makes all of this even more impactful. Dew’s portrayal of Kay’s pain, vulnerability, suspicion, and inner conflict is phenomenal, while Tee brings so much emotional depth to Phat. Their chemistry feels natural, and the way they show complicated emotions through their expressions and silent looks is one of the strongest parts of the series. You can feel the pain, doubt, fear, and slowly developing trust without everything having to be said out loud.

The dark atmosphere, intense crime scenes, psychological tension, and the contrast between the manga panels and the live-action scenes make the series feel unique and eerie. The pacing is also getting more intense with every episode, and I love how it keeps giving us more questions instead of easy answers. A beautifully written story with powerful performances. This is becoming a truly unforgettable psychological crime drama.

Lire la suite

Let me start by expressing how disappointed I was with the use of so much AI.. Even for simple day to day scenes and also the excessive reliance on green screens.. It felt lifeless, fake and pathetic in every sense..

Apart from that, the drama has quite a lot of good things to talk about.. The relationships mainly.. The relationship between the ML and the FL, the sibling bonding between Lin Zhi Xia and Lin Ze Qiu, the friendships and their bond.. I found it endearing..

I felt the story was running, running and running and rushing towards the ending.. Like it was a straight line from the beginning.. There were no unnecessary conflicts.. But the science jargon and the way Lin Zhi Xia talks can tire you out at times, unless you are a big science freak..

I liked how they portrayed Lin Zhi Xia.. We know she is a genius but we also get to see the other side of her through the genuine friction she has with people.. How she misreads a situation, how she handles stress, how her directness reads as coldness to people.. It takes time for everyone to warm up to her.. Well, unless you are Jiang Yu Bai.. He was that one person she didn't have to explain everything to.. Because he could understand her without words.. There are several scenes where the show uses this to show you exactly who understands her and who doesn't.. The show, like a maths equation keeps proving why the ML is the right one for her and why she goes to extreme lengths to find him and keep him close to her..

Now, their romance.. For a show titled Genius Girlfriend, they sure took their time getting to the girlfriend part.. They should have gotten together sooner and their first kiss should have been 4 episodes earlier than it was.. Because the whole plot was set and waiting for one of them to make the move.. They dragged it along for the last 3 episodes.. The writers and their need to make everything a slow burn is a buzzkill.. This might be my personal opinion but TXW carried the chemistry alone.. HYT, with his stiff expressions and poor dialogue delivery didn't bring much to the character.. Anyway, I liked how they showed how deeply she is in love with him.. TXW nailed her role to perfection.. Could have avoided some of the cringe moments though..

This drama had more than one couple.. There were three couples and all of their stories were good.. But I wished there were more episodes to explore the secondary couples stories too.. Their part of the story was barely touched, especially the second couple Lin Ze Qiu and Jin Bai Hui.. LZQ and JBH were really sweet.. How he repairs her book and keeps it safe for all those years and the scene where he pauses the meteor shower playback so she could make her wish.. It's just such quiet actions that made it more meaningful.. They had genuine intimacy in their limited screen time and one can't help but wish for more..

Jin Bai Hui's parents.. I can't help but talk about them.. I honestly wanted her to cut off her ties with them for how they behaved the entire drama.. But she doesn't.. Well, this was not that kind of a story.. Like I said less conflicts, less drama.. They wanted her to study and do nothing else.. Nothing at all.. They barely let her breathe so that she could study.. But then when it's time for her to use all that hard work and effort to build something for herself, they want her to ditch everything and get married to some random dude?? What?? Seriously?? She should have made them feel the pain of what she went through all her life because of them.. I wish she had.. Vivienne Tien is a good actress.. I hope we get to see her in more stuff, in more important roles and with more screen time..

So, What about Shen Fu Xuan?? Well, he is sort of an enigma.. I don't know what he was supposed to be in the whole drama.. He was the third wheel, he was the good friend, he was the love rival who never actually took any effort to understand the person he said he loved.. And his whole conversation with the ML, trying to act all nonchalant, be the better guy and walk out of the triangle.. Dude, you never stood a chance.. You were not even the SML here.. In this drama of 18+ hours, there was literally not even one scene that could show us that you had even 1% of a chance.. This girl literally wears a broken watch just because of the ML, for how many years?? Anyway, it's good that he walked out without making a mess of it and ruining their friendship..
But I don't understand why the writer chose to keep him out of everything after the main leads got together.. Like, he was literally nowhere to be seen with the friends..

Overall.. It's a feel good drama.. Don't go into it looking for just romance, this is much more than that.. You will love their school days, their little band, their performances.. It's a drama that extends beyond its leads.. You watch it not just for the main leads, but for the whole cast..

Lire la suite

This non-con is getting ridiculous

Holy shit what an absolute egregious waste of a show. I had been hearing people SCREAMING for this so I said I’d give it a go… Why did I do that. This was just a fantastical combination of the worst things you would want in a romance drama BL aside. What is it with China and the fucking non-consensual bullshit? What the fuck? I watched it in Revenge Love. I watched it in several other fucking Chinese dramas that I can't think of the name of. Why are they so big on the non-consensual bullshit? Stop it.
The premise of this show is beyond ridiculous. Why are they trying to make two actors live together, practicing in their own time, and then shaming Zhang Zhun for not wanting to? Absolutely not. And then saying “Oh, well, if it feels good, then it feels good.” Um no??? If you're practicing, you should be practicing with an intimacy coordinator, not by yourselves in your fucking shared hotel room. It just seems so insane and unprofessional to pull from? I feel like intimacy coordinators probably aren’t as known about as they should be, ESPECIALLY when i see some twerps in the comments saying ‘oh this is definitely not acting’ or ‘this feels like self service not fan service’ brother that is the POINT YOU FUCKING IDIOTS. that’s the WHOLE SELLING POINT. So this kinda feels like some adaptation of some writer going ooooh let’s make these actors live together for 2 weeks to build chemistry and practice scenesss togetherrrr. oh BROTHER THIS GUY STINKS.
Another thing.. what is with this focus on breathing in intimate scenes? The only thing I’m hearing is LOUD ASS BREATHING and I’m gonna need everyone to BACK UP from the mic. I know the issue is with the dubbing but could we not have fixed this bullshit by now? China has been doing this forever and we still haven’t found a way of making the dubbing seem somewhat convincing? Instead I’m getting them breathing in my ear as ‘sounding sexy’ when if just sounds like bad asmr with actors who use vocal fry for a living.
Like why are they have sex when Zhen Xin’s aware that Zhang Zhun’s drunk? Why are you TAKING PHOTOS??? WHY IS EVERYONE SO OKAY WITH THIS??? All this bullshit just to get completely ignored when the main lead gets together. And the cheating? I’m fucking doneeeee.
I love this concept in dramas but if I see another rape-y, non consensual scene, I’m going to start hunting people down. It’s so unfortunate like why can’t we make this concept but not… morally wrong?
I’m sorry, I tried but this was scene after scene of non-con and it just ain’t working for me.

Lire la suite

Spooked but where’s the love.

When the movies The Sixth Sense and Ghost have a baby, you get Spooky in Love. So let’s be clear: this was never really about investigating death and murder, nor was it truly a rom-com.

The references to Greek mythology and the boat that carries souls to the afterlife were a creative touch (sarcasm intended), and an elaborate way to end a soul, if you will. But apparently, nothing demonstrates true love better than sacrificing oneself by getting run over by a truck. Because, naturally.

This show is so riddled with tropes that it could fill a Swiss cheese. So let’s just call it what it is: a cheesy show.

Unfortunately, it is also symptomatic of what I find increasingly frustrating about some newer K-dramas: recycled ideas, lazy writing, and stories seemingly designed around what will generate Netflix hits rather than what makes for a satisfying narrative. The audience is apparently expected to consume whatever is served, specially cheese.

Just as I said in my episode reviews, the ending completely fell off a cliff. What started with an intriguing premise ultimately became unremarkable, predictable, and forgettable.

Maybe it works for dreamers. It certainly didn’t work for me.

And that’s the real shame. With two such talented actors carrying the story, they deserved a much better script.

Lire la suite

Great Acting-Terrible Script

I really loved the idea of putting a highly decorated and tail first psychologist together with an absolutely intuitive fortune teller and see what will happen. That idea hooked me from the very start and keep me interested until episode 11 when it got very difficult to sympathize with the ML and the story gave the viewer no reason to like him what so ever. Despite that, the push and pull between the leads was really good and you thought for sure that when they got together it was going to be a chemistry explosion. Unfortunately, that is not what happened, at least for this drama viewer.

After finishing the series, I have a clear understanding of where the ML was coming, the trauma and the aftermath of it, but I think it would have been best to clarify this issue way earlier in the narrative, so that the viewer understands why the ML acts the way he does. Instead, we are led to believe that ML is a renowned yet obsessed psychologist carrying unethical experiments because his professional opinion is that women are incapable of love all the way to the last episode. Which just made this viewer not connect to the ML at all....well, until the last episode.

main cast - wonderful, lovely acting skills
push and pull between the leads - excellent
romance= most of the time, I was not sure what was real and what were lies
story line - started off well and ended in a happy fiasco
scrip writer - go back to school
soundtrack - nothing extraordinary
ending- happy but rushed
spice - average-nothing special

This drama had so going for it BUT with so much lying, plots and schemes the relationships became extraordinarily toxic and no longer entertaining. Writers seemed stuck in an exercise wheel that turned endlessly exhausting the story long before the drama concluded. Some viewers may really like this story, but it was just okay and forgettable for me. No a rewatch or recommended

Lire la suite

No plot, just beautiful cinematography and confusion

omg.....if this isn't the most boring, plotless show i have ever seen. WHERE IS THE PLOT, WHERE IS THE STORY i swear it's just a bunch of shots of random things mostly and then a few scenes with the leads that don't make sense or barely have dialogue. like okay the cinematography is beautiful but thats the only good thing about this show. if u like art and nice visuals i guess its for u but other than that its just bland. Then also somehow the leads go from barely talking to being in a full on relationship without us seeing any type of relationship progress. It just feels like nothing about the characters lives and personalities was shown and the relationship seemed so abrubt.

I just found out its the same director that made Secrets Happened on the Litchi Island and which makes sense considering i also didn't enjoy that show cuz it was just a bunch of scenes of nothing and no plot. Maybe reading the novel would give more context and make the story and relationship progress less confusing but the show should've done that as well. The way I was so excited to watch this because of all the hype and good reviews too 💔.

Lire la suite

Just my type, or whatever they said...

This was such a unique story, whoa. I'm not sure about the scientific/medical accuracy of it all, but as someone unrelated to that domain, I definitely enjoyed all the psychology/psychiatry stuff.

Something about this felt so laid back and natural, even though the story isn't what you would call "laid back," which, btw, was a huge surprise to me! I went into this expecting a romcom, and in a way, it was, but there was so much more to it. I think romcoms today got oversaturated and filled with trope after trope that I kind of subconsciously went into this expecting that same thing and was proven wrong...

I gave it a 9/10 but some scenes with her mother ragebaited me so bad that I genuinely considered dropping my rating lol. But it's very realistic if you think about it xD. There were actually several scenes that triggered me because I do not have the same compassion, patience, and/or tolerance that some of these characters have, and I do think that media that leaves you with very intense and polarized feelings can be good for you. To me, any story that makes me feel intense emotions (other than negative emotions towards the writers rather than the characters) is a good story.

Bring back romcoms with strange stories and polarizing characters :p

Lire la suite

Light but engaging.

The actual title, The Girl Who Sees Smells, didn’t appeal to me so I bypassed it for a long time. But then I started enjoying Namkoong Min’s dramas and decided to watch this one for him. I stayed for all the main leads.

Having recently finished some much more complicated, heavy dramas, TGWSS was an inviting, imaginative, enjoyable watch for me. A good drama to balance out my watch history lately, if you know what I mean. I found myself interested the entire time even binging a few too many episodes at a time.

Park Yoo Chun (Detective Choi) Shin Sae Kyeong (Oh Cho Rim) Nam-koong Min (Chef Kwon) and Yoon Jin-Seo (Lt. Yeom) all delivered very good performances. I was most impressed by PYC (my first drama with him) whom I believe stood out above the rest and I also felt he carried the whole drama. PYC and SSK had great chemistry - they had several truly funny and serious/tender moments together. SSK has a great acting range, delivering a fun and engaging Oh Cho Rim. It’s not my favorite role of his but NKM was a great sinister villain. He acts with his eyes so well. YJS was a no-nonsense but endearing Lt. Yeom, the kind of boss you want to do your best for.

I was somewhat disappointed in the supporting cast, their acting was not terribly convincing - I don’t think their humor always fit the story - comedy/drama detectives can and should be funny where the story needs it but also need to be on their (detective) game where it counts and I didn’t feel they ever truly delivered on the latter. That part gave me a dissatisfied feeling many times. Some of this criticism is on the writing and directing, too.

The OST fit the scenes and was not loud or overpowering.
I definitely recommend TGWSS for someone who is looking for a light but still intriguing Rom-Com/Mystery. However it’s not a drama would feel the need to rewatch.

8/10

Lire la suite